As expected AT&T has filed with the FCC its Public Interest Statement regarding the proposed acquisition of T-Mobile. The filing is designed to demonstrate the benefits of the merger with specific emphasis on how a combined 4G LTE network could cover 97& of the US population. Originally thought to cover 95% of the population AT&T conducted a more thorough survey and determined they would be increase the reach of the network to 97.3%.

Some more highlights of the filing:

AT&T faces network constraints more severe than that of their competition as the mobile data on their network has surged by a jawdropping 8000% between 2007 and 2010.

AT&T is using spectrum at an accelerating rate and based on current projections would in just the first five-to-seven weeks of 2015 equal the mobile data usage they carried in all of 2010.

The merger provides the “surest, fastest and most efficient solution” to connecting every part of America to the digital age, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.

The merger will provide customers a better network experience with a reduction in dropped and blocked calls, improved building coverage and a dramatically expanded deployment of next-gen mobile technology.

A significant number of current T-Mobile cell sites will be folded into the AT&T network. Network integration could begin in as little as nine months after the merger is finalized and will equate to “instant” cell splits thereby “increasing cell density and effectively doubling the amount of network traffic that can be carried using existing spectrum in the areas served by those cell sites.”

About David Beren

David is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of TmoNews.com. He considers himself a Jedi Knight, capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound and a connoisseur of fine cell phones. He has been involved in the wireless industry since 2003 and has been known to swap out phones far too many times in any given year. Should you wish to contact him, you can do so: david@tmonews.com.

Yeah, there is also an attempt to offer for sale a certain bridge in Brooklyn as part of this deal….

Tabasco1tx

I hate to say it but this is pretty much a done deal. The Communication workers union are ATT have been trying forever to get T-Mobile to unionized. They did all Tue time I worked there. With Obama being pro union and him putting his people at the FCC, I doubt they will deny the merger. They’ll go through the motions but it’ll be approved. Remember the previous CEO of ATT,Ed Whitaker? Obama put him in as the CEO of GM.ATT us well tied in to this Administration.

From above: “The merger provides the “surest, fastest and most efficient solution” to connecting every part of America to the digital age, CREATING JOBS and stimulating economic growth.”

Jeffreygreen1315

I would also like to hear the answer to that question. NEVER has a merger equalled more jobs! If anyone believes that there will be more jobs; call T-Mo cs reps…….
They have VERY BIG concerns as most T-Mo customers do!

Anonymous

They will in fact create jobs. But they will probably cause unemployment that will outweigh the creation.

Hell I can lift 1000lbs… just not all at once.

Jimbo831

This is such a joke and a blatant lie. I don’t think anybody can actually believe that T-Mobile/AT&T combined will have more total employees than T-Mobile and AT&T separately. We all know they will lay employees off because not as many will be required when it is just one company. As far as I’m concerned, if they can’t be honest in their filing, it deserves no real consideration. If they are lying about this, I’m sure the rest of it is BS too.

Cindy

I wrote the FCC I wrote them again through consumer reports . I e-mailed my congressman . I have done all I can to make my voice heard in opposition to this merger . These are all things I have never done before . Its time to sit back and watch our government in action . I will say this . I used to think this merger was a slam dunk . With the mounting opposition & negative view America as a whole is having . I would put this merger at 50-50 . By the time the terms & conditions are in place AT&T might walk away . Just very interesting .

Anonymous

It’s still a slam dunk they just need to grease the right peoples palms, donate to the right campaigns or pet projects.

I think they feel it is just a smart idea to try . They know it might not go through . They spent 2.5 billion dollars in dividends last quarter . 3 billion dollars is nothing to them . The lobby money against them is growing by the day . This is a fight .

yyevo

Send a physical letter snail mail. It will get much more attention. Seriously.

T-Mobile employee’s have been told they will start receiving severence packages in the coming weeks. Either take it and run or risk not having a job after the merger. What jobs??

Techguy

Its not severence packages. It is retention packages with severence protection. There is a big difference.

Anonymous

No there are severance packages and retention bonuses as well buddy… And to the other guy a hostile takeover of which this is not… Is still a merger. The basic concept of a hostile takeover is that the gobbled up company is so screwed up they are bought below value because they can not survive and shareholders are tired of losing money. Hostile takeovers don’t exist for privately held companies… Tmobile sold for 5x what their EBITDA would have had them sell for… What’s hostile about that?

Anonymous

No there are severance packages and retention bonuses as well buddy… And to the other guy a hostile takeover of which this is not… Is still a merger. The basic concept of a hostile takeover is that the gobbled up company is so screwed up they are bought below value because they can not survive and shareholders are tired of losing money. Hostile takeovers don’t exist for privately held companies… Tmobile sold for 5x what their EBITDA would have had them sell for… What’s hostile about that?

WOW. My friend that works for them just confirmed it…they are offering ‘retention packages’ WOW. So its just a matter of time before they take over…this is sad. WOW.I’m not on contract, so I’m good. If I decide to leave..I can just go.

tmototheend

why does everyone say merger? This is not a merger, it is a hostle take over.

Vrybluangel2000

If they keep some of us, we are offered retention but if we are no longer needed, severance…. They haver made job changes that line up to how att runs their business already..it’s ging to be approved because att if about money not consumers and raising prices will boost the economy also my center didn’t even renew the lease in or building this year…..

Chewy106

Perhaps if AT&T didn’t monopolize the iPhone, their data usage wouldn’t have soared 8000%. They baked their own stew, let them rot in it. I’ve already written the FCC in disapproval. This creates a monopoly, there’s no other way to look at it. I have two choices in the USA today for a GSM-based cell carrier. If the merger is approved, I have only one choice. The very definition of a monopoly. Please write the FCC and voice your opinion against this merger.

LC

I completely agree. I love how AT&T seems so shocked that they’re network is choking, when they’re the ones who did it to themselves. Why should T-Mobile customers have to suffer for their mistake? I know I sure don’t want to…

Tabasco1tx

There is Simple Mobile,TracPhone & Net 10 that are GSM.lmao

Anonymous

The only interests in this deal are for at&t, as far as I’m concerned.

eYe

May be TmoNews team could compile a list of places where we can call/write/email to protest this deal…. Just a thought.

Ricktrann

I second this great idea!!! Everyone respond! BUMP!

Dare to say no to ATT

Yes Dave post something where we all can write so this won’t happen, u have enough loyal tmonews readers it wouldn’t hurt anything, and u can keep blogging about TMO once the deal is denied

yyevo

It’s pretty simple. Your Senator and Reprensentative and the FCC.

You will need to write a physical letter in order for it to count. And remember, clear sound arguments work, not “ATT Sux”.

Yes, you’ll get a response of a generic form letter that is obviously printed up in bulk and signed by an autopen. Yes, it will be read by an aid, but they do compile information and give them to the Senator or Representative. If you write an impassioned letter, it may be given to the Senator or Rep to read and respond. Remember, keep it formal and structured, this isn’t your BFF. The more respect you give, the more you get.

Farhan

A voting system on the top of their home page would be nice.

“Do you support the AT&T acquisition of T-Mobile USA?”

– Yes
– No
– Don’t Care

hatecellphones

they are going to fire all the employee’s…..i know it for a fact….tmobile employees are gone

Techguy

Thanks for the heads up Mr. Stephenson.

MBrianMills

The above summaries talk about how the purchase of T-Mobile will benefit AT&T, but it is difficult to see how they are taking into account the increased number of mobile subscribers that they get by taking on all of the T-Mobile subscribers.
They need to remember that they are not only getting spectrum, but they are also buying a lot of users as well!

Anonymous

“We need this deal or we will choke to death”

I could live with this a lot better if ATT flips on the LTE switch at the same time they flip off the TMO switch. Are they still building out their HSPA+ network so there will be a reason to STAY with ATT until LTE is fired up??

It seems like they’re just re-iterating themselves. We’ve heard this story before, give us a new one.

Anonymous

Do Not see any buy out will benefit me or any other T-Mobile customer in my family. I have speeds that are at least twice as fast as any AT&T Network can put out on both DL and UL. My plan is without a doubt better then anything AT&T could think about giving and the customer assistance is 2nd to none. This is just AT&T grabbing as much as they can at the right time. T-Mobile is looking for a cash out and AT&T has the cash. Hoping this does not happen, this buy out will ruin mobile communication for the consumer, prices will go up faster then a rabbit gets ——. Hoping T-Mobile comes out of this looking better then it ever has and stays in this country. We can only hope.

v8dreaming

Ok, I see how this benefits At&t, but how does it benefit T-mobile customers whose cellphone bills will go up and will lose unlimited data (even if it is throttled)? How does it benefit T-mobile emploies that are going to lose their jobs?
The only thing I see At&t saying is, “Our network sucks and it would be cheaper for us to buy somebody else than it would be to fix our network.”

As bad as I hate to admit it, T-Mobile USA will no longer be here in the coming months. This is a done deal, but they are just going through the motions. Its all about money when it comes to René Obermann, Chairman and CEO, Deutsche Telekom, and ‘greed and failure’ when it comes to Randall Stephenson, Chairman and CEO, AT&T

“AT&T faces network constraints more severe than that of their competition as the mobile data on their network has surged by a jawdropping 8000% between 2007 and 2010.”***********Um AT&T you asked for that with the iPhone! Don’t act like a victim when the reason why you can buy T-Mobile is because of the 8,000% increase!

whocares

at&t wants tmobile for there network. at&t cant handle the data and cant upgrade there system untill they redo there intire network to be able to go faster. at&t is already running at the max there lines can handle. tmobile in the other hand can upgrade. it will be cheaper for at&t to buy tmobile than to redo there intire network. all i know is if they merge. verizon here i come and they say they will cover 97 percent of the population. how is that if alot of people will leave them for verizon, sprint or any other network… at&t is fucken stupid. nobody really likes them.

Greg P

I’m a T-Mobile fan like most of us here, but let’s face it: what device in history EVER strained a network like the iPhone? No one could have predicted it. Does AT&T and Apple laugh all the way to bank every month? Absolutely.

However, T-Mobile never capitalized on branding and hero devices until too late. My opinion is that the family plan killed T-Mobile. They were a little too late, and despite having the best plans and network in the business, it is hard to take a family of 5 smartphone users and get them to pay over $1500 in ETFs to switch.

T-Mobile never had a compelling offer to switch ever. AT&T had the iPhone. Verizon heralded the family plan. Sprint is failing at an alarming rate, but is surviving by the “unlimited” card.

Mark, 8000% growth is amazing. If that kind of growth gives you the ability to buy a company like T-Mobile, then it is well earned. I’m not a fan of Ma Bell, but I’m afraid that if T-Mobile signed off on it, then they feel like the deal is worth it.

ghostnik

how is 8000% growth amazing when its not real growth and just a fad, the iphone is just a fad and when that fad runs out and people get bored, what will at&t amount too? It will amount to 0% growth in the years to come b/c the mass populace of people will get tired of the iphone and apple will have run out of advertisements by then, that try to re-invent it as something new. Look at the iphone as a product now, it hasn’t done really anything new since its conception, it took apple 5 different iphones to finally, come up with the idea that maybe we need a new design with the iphone and they changed the shape, to more of a rectangle (iphone 4 compared to original iphone). The reason why for this change in shape is b/c apple knows people are starting to get tired and bored of the iphone, with new phones coming on the market. Even there commercials and advertisments are starting to lose its luster and attraction b/c they are getting boring and have no new ways of inventing the iphone to get new customers. To quote there commercials: “… iphone it does everything …” How can you re-invent something that supposedly does everything, thats exactly why its only a matter of time till the iphone sees a decline in popularity and apple sees its iphone is just a short term investment, as it will not be long term one that lasts 30 to 40 years.

Wow, do you actually believe the stuff you write? You sound like nothing more than someone with a grudge to bear against Apple and their products than someone who can really predict the future of data usage. I’ve got news for you, in 30-40 years nobody will be using the iPhone, Android or anything that likely resembles a phone as we know it today. It’ll probably be attached to our hand and ear.

I keep hearing this deal needs to be stopped by all these loyal happy t-mobile customers but t-mobile is losing customers at an embarassing rate of 3% every month. DT wants nothing to with T-Mobile USA so if they don’t get bought out the company is going to go down so it needs to be bought out. A company can’t stay a float losing 3% of it’s customers every month when Verizon and at&t lose 1% and companies in Europe lose 0.3%. All I hear is you people complaining but don’t know the facts about how many customers t-mobile actually loses so stop and realize this would help t-mobile and it will also improve service and reduce churn therefore creating happier customers

Scubapro024

EXACTLY!!!! as much as we all love magenta, she was slowly dying and this most likely would have happened much sooner than later. Sadly, t-mobile was fading away before profitability’s eyes. I know many of you aren’t happy with this and it’s understandable but the dream and concept that once was T-mobile was a just that, it didn’t work anymore. Even with supposedly amazing customer service, and the best devices and the fastest network they still were losing customers at an alarming rate.

In closing, i urge you all to have more of an open mind with this and remember that t-mobile in its current state wasn’t profitable and the best thing to do after all was to sell her to highest bidder for parts.

Brandon

Just like as much as people love their pets sometimes is best to put them down. Same situation here people just need to know the facts and realizing trying to stop it is the wrong thing to do

We all respect each other here. But telling people they can’t feel a certain way does not solve anything. As much info as there is out here on the net, I’m pretty sure people are aware that T-Mobile USA is not doing well. But we respect your thoughts, just do the same for those that are upset about it.

Anonymous

i agree that a lot of customers don’t realize that things could get a lot worse down the road with DT retaining ownership of T-mobile USA. Those subscriber losses have to balance out somehow. Usually it happens by cutting services and increasing prices.

Not saying AT&T is going to be a whole lot better, but T-mobile USA isn’t in the best position right now either.

Petey

Totally agreed with you. From a business perspective, they try to advoid losing money and especially in this case T-Mobile parent takes whatever offer that benefits them instead of losing everything later on.

jarjon76

In theory, yes, but the reality is AT&T’s network is average, at best. Not to mention their poor customer service and outrageous pricing. Also, they block side loading apps on their android phones (a personal pet peeve of mine), and I personally don’t care for their line of phones.

People that are complaining have a legit gripe. Yes, T-Mobile is losing a lot of customers, but that doesn’t mean it’s a poor carrier. A lot of people want the iphone, so they’ve jumped to AT&T and Verzion. That’s doesn’t account for all of the lost customers, but I’m willing to bet that it accounts for a good chunk.

Anonymous

SOUNDS LIKE A BIG BAG OF CRAP FROM AT&T AGAIN!…
What I see in the future AT&T.. terrible customer service, slow internet, NO new phones,did I say TERRIBLE customer service, and people that dont know ANYTHING about ANDROID!…
Come on SPRINT get with the program! I would rather go there that AT&T!

Mopar6464

Sprint , you got to be shitting me. Talk about Horrible CS and Billing , no way.
Not to mention when others call me from their Sprint phone it sounds like their talking through a soup can.
Been there done that and never again.

ATL Guy

I sat on hold for 40 minutes yesterday and never got anyone in TBLOWS tech support department.
Oh and, “dont know anything about android”?
You mean like how tblow will tell you to do a factory data reset everytime they try and, “help” you?

Havoktek

You’ve been flagged for being an grade “A” pain by customer service. That’s why you wait dude…

Bratty

With your ‘tude…who would wanna help ya? Flagged is right.

Sicofu

a master reset is the only sure way to fix android when idiots dont know how to clean out there phone….so yeah..lol u was flagged as the idiot they put on hold cuz they are tired of u calling over bullshit stuff…lol

4g

Fcc don’t fall for the old bait and switch. This deal will be decided at expensive dinners.

There is a problem and I am aware of it. Amazon cloud services were down and they host the forums. We are working to restore service.

Going_home

FCC just get this over and give AT&T the boot so T-Mobile
will be 3 billion richer
:-D

Brandon

3 billion won’t do anything when the owner of t-mobile USA doesn’t want anything to do with it anymore and it won’t stop the huge amounts of churn t-mobile sees each month what don’t people understand it’s not difficult

Frigadroid

When will half the readers figure it out? They can’t even understand who is selling what, why or when. Its like a teabager convention all the uninformed rage and paranoia here.

Anonymous

ATT blew billions in govt grants to run fiber for years and got away without penalty. Now, they have two halfassed networks (ATT Wireless and UVerse) and they want to buy their way out of it. I say no, they will just mismanage and misappropriate money again. Not that Verizon’s any less guilty, but, at least their networks are very good.

Ummm no, we really can’t. 10 million people leaving? I’ve got a bridge to sell in Brooklyn, hang on, I’m making the Craigslist ad right now. Slightly used bridge for sale.

ghostnik

Someone needs to take at&t onto the Maury Show and have them do a lie detector test b/c “The merger provides the “surest, fastest and most efficient solution” to connecting every part of America to the digital age, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.” As Maury would say: “That’s a lie.” In an earlier article that Tmo News reported, when reporting about a the ceo of at&t asking questions about the merger, he himself said that with the merger they would have an overlay of people doing the same job, so cuts would have to be made, meaning they won’t be creating jobs and stimulating economic growth. And connecting every part of America to the digital age, give me a break, are they going to bring cell phone mobile data at 3g/4g speeds to communities and places that are in the mountains where cell signals are horrible on any carrier. I bet they won’t.

If the FCC doesn’t see that this will destroy jobs, create a monopoly in GSM and destroy competition, what every drugs they are taking they should give to everyone else b/c only someone blind and high wouldn’t see that this deal is not good for the people.

kentrik

I, for one, welcome our new AT&T Overlords.

And Interested Consumer

Fundamentally, Tmobile treats its customers well, and ATT does not.

This is a bad deal for consumers. It is a bad deal for the country. It’s a bad deal.

Let’s take a minute to be serious here, and please correct me if i am wrong,

I love T-Mobile, but because of the fact i am tech savvy and had my mobile plan in order for the last decade (like the majority of the people here) i never had to call customer care therefor that whole great customer service doesn’t apply to me, but over the years i did however had to modify my plan and that caused me to contact t-mobile, and they were very friendly, but you don’t have to work for a company to be friendly right? Anyways, in my honest opinion i think what really hurt T-Mobile was the fact that they did not pick up the iphone, i am not an apple fan boy nor an android fan, i am a fanboy of mobile technology and love these two great types of mobile offerings (like Mac and Windows). Tmobile had the chance to get the iphone and “f’d” up and they thought that by picking up the first android powered device (G1) that would save them, but they were wrong, the iphone (apple) to non tech savvy people was the future when the rest of us knew it wasn’t, there were things already out that had what the iphone offered before the iphone launched! The G1 may have been exclusive to T-Mobile, but not the android OS. All the other carriers carried an operated android device so their where more choices to choose from. Apple iphone was exclusive to AT&T, AT&T a company that charges so much and you get less was raking in customers, why? because of the iphone, novice type consumers to mobile tech wanted the iphone so bad they didn’t care what they would pay as long as they get it, android was everywhere, Verizon did a great job muscling it up, while Tmobile had phones like the mytouch 3g and motorola cliq (weak phones). I love T-mobile, i love the prices and the technology advancements they are offering (despite losing the 3G race) it’s great to pay less and get more (don’t know about the truly unlimited data thing though). but in the end people want an iphone. correct me if i am wrong here, but doesn’t t-mobile offer help setting up an unlocked iphone and has even gone as far as selling accessories for it? what non tmobile phone like that has caused a company to support it? that’s why you failed t-mobile. The rest of you may deny this, but the numbers don’t lie. i really don’t want this deal to go through but TMOUSA, you really f’d up.

:)_

I can tell you why f’d up tmobile and it wasn’t lack of phone choices…maybe 3 yrs ago but not recently. The problem is that tmobile spoiled there customers and gave them everything they wanted. It’s so bad that customers constantly call in thinking that they deserve the top phone for free even though they just upgraded 2 months prior. Every time they call in they want to save money on there bill without losing anything and get upset because they are already at the lowest rates possible. Please don’t misinterpret this, it’s not the customer’s fault. Tmobile has always been about saving money, which is great to customers, but let’s me real…company’s are in business to make money. Tomobile trained there customers to expect to save money every time they called in with a problem. All that money that was given away could have been spent on upgrading the network or getting the iphone. I am very proud to say that I worked for tmobile in the past and they do stand by their customer service. Customer service will only get you so far when you are giving things away. Customers have to realize that they are accountable for what they do on there phone and shouldn’t complain about there bills when they used too many minutes or their child has lost the phone that they chose not to put insurance on. Too many people think that the only good customer service is when you get exactly what you want even though you made a mistake. Good customer service is actually listening to the customers needs, making sure you are giving accurate information(even if its not what they want to hear), being polite, professional, and empathetic. Just giving customers everything they want will cause you to sell out to at+t, and then what do your customers gain? I suppose we will find out very soon, but I know they won’t give customers everything they want or they wouldn’t be able to buy tmobile for billions of dollars.

If Deusche Telekom wants to sell T-mobile,USA. Europe has MAJOR carrier that would like to purchase it. Orange Mobile is HUGE is Europe. T-mobile has done like service agreement with Orange in the UK. Why not sell Tmo to Orange, that would leave four competitive carriers in the USA. If AT&T and Verizon will be 80% of the market after the merger. I don’t call that competition.

Anonymous

DT would have sold it to anyone. There’s been articles about DT wanting out for a long time. Orange Mobile had plenty of opportunity to make a bid along with any other European carrier.

Unfortunately domestic US carriers are the only one’s who would benefit by paying top dollar for T-mobile USA due to cost savings. T-mobile USA isn’t so damaged that it needs to be given away to someone like Orange Mobile for peanuts. At least not yet… if the AT&T deal doesn’t go through, we could see some desperation start happening on the part of DT to get rid of it.

Anonymous

If anyone is interested, I have uploaded to one of my servers AT&T’s 112-page statement filed with the FCC.

Bonus Sidenote: AT&T’s Statement was prepared by lawyers, so read it with that in mind. The document is craftily written and is interesting not only on what it says, but what it does not say. And there’s lots of BS, fluff and wiggle words.

Tabasco1tx

I hate to say it but this is pretty much a done deal. The Communication workers union that are at ATT have been trying forever to get T-Mobile to unionized. They tried the time I worked there. With Obama being pro union and him putting his people at the FCC, I doubt they will deny the merger. They’ll go through the motions but it’ll be approved. Remember the previous CEO of ATT,Ed Whitaker? Obama put him in as the CEO of GM.ATT is well tied in to this Administration.

mobilepulse

If you don’t like the idea of less competition and the inevitable corresponding higher prices, diminished service, and fewer choices as a consumer, sign a petition to stop the deal. Let your voice be heard!

Correction it is “Consumers Union” not Consumer reports that doesn’t like the possibility of the merger.

Anonymous

Just thinking out loud here:

If AT&T is required to make concessions for the deal to be approved, one might be to quit with the contracts between it and major handset manufacturers, where the parties agree that the manufacturer will not make phones of similar “superphone” specs for the smaller carriers, such as Boost Mobile or Metro PCS.

(The smaller carriers have been complaining about these agreements for years, that have prevented them from getting good phones, this so they could compete against the Vibrants, Droids, EVOs, etc.)

So maybe Metro PCS and others might be able to offer up some superphones next year (instead of making a big deal out of getting the Indulge. Which is not a bad phone, by the way. But compared to the Sensation, SGS2, or Vibrant, it’s not that great.

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